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How much would it cost to have recessed can lighting...

How much would it cost to have recessed can lighting installed in an average size room? Are there rooms in which you shouldn't use recessed lighting? What are the advantages and disadvantages of cans?

--E.M., Glenview

Recessed lighting cans work well in any size room but are most effective in small spaces, says Lois B. Gries, president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Gries says the most important things you need to install can lights is a good electrician and the cans. (An interior designer might be nice too.)

Lighting cans provide a clean look and may let you get away with fewer lamps. But you should have a combination of recessed can lights with task lighting to complete the total lighting picture.

Cans range from $25 to $100 each, plus the cost of bulbs and the electricians fee for installation, says Gries, who heads her namesake firm, Lois B. Gries Design.

But not every ceiling is meant to have recessed cans. They can't be installed in concrete ceilings or shallow ceilings. Rehab cans, which are a little smaller than the typical can, can sometimes work in shallow spaces, Gries says.

Because of the many variables involved in installing recessed can lighting--ceiling type, location of power source, etc.--electricians shy away from talking general estimates on installation. "It's difficult to give an estimate but try to avoid paying by the hour and get someone who has done it before otherwise you'll end up paying for them to learn while installing your lights," says Peter Pechianu, showroom manager at Tech Lighting, 300 W. Superior St.

If cans are not possible, consider tracks with small lamps or a cable system. Pechianu says "a low-ball estimate" for installing monorail track lighting is $125.